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Forum URL: http://www.truefresco.com/cgidir/dcforum/dcboard.cgi
Forum Name: Modern Art - Classic Art - New Art
Topic ID: 12
Message ID: 1
#1, RE: How about Peter Max
Posted by ScottRene on 07-Jan-04 at 11:36 PM
In response to message #0
I realise this is a bit late but for future reference. As someone who has worked as an art consultant for one of the largest distributors of LTD edition lithos and posters among other things, there are a few general tidbits to keep in mind.
1) Most posters and a great part of the lithos produced within the last forty or fifty years and more so in the later decades are, with the exception of LTD Ed's very large. Often even the most well known of the arts sign reams of paper before the work is printed and have little to do with the process other than perhaps a glance at an Artists Proof. (Which by the way generally have no more value if they are labeled AP.) Here too numbering is also of little value unless perhaps it means something to you as a special number or you attempt a collection of prints all with the same number.
Those produced on the old French presses used by Chagall and others and moved to NY buring the late 20th century are well done (especially those in the 80's when the printers were some of the old Paris crew) but again were largely done in great numbers in the case of the many posters done there. Having been affiliate with the Atelier, I can assure you the work was excellent.
But all in all, buy it if you like it, not as an investment. Most prints I sold in the 90's are, considering 2003 currency rates at just about the same level disregarding a couple of bumps when artists died. I always told this to my clients, buy it for you. if you want to invest, see an investment counselor. There are always exceptions, but when dealing with the past few decades, few. (note: while I say all this, I am personally---(DISCLAIMER)NOT ADVICE FOR INVESTMENT OR ANY OTHER REASON (DISCLAIMER)---interested in Rene' Gruau, who at 97 has a lot of work out there at a reasonable price. He is excellent and he is not long to be with us.
Scotty